


queer eye for the dead guy

by hi_hello_hey_there



Series: you don't have to say i love you (to say i love you) [4]
Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Discussion of Period-Typical Homophobia, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, How Do I Tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:07:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27053140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hi_hello_hey_there/pseuds/hi_hello_hey_there
Summary: "Don't cry."
Relationships: Alex & Julie Molina
Series: you don't have to say i love you (to say i love you) [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1942267
Comments: 19
Kudos: 346





	queer eye for the dead guy

**Author's Note:**

> Requested by: jemmacatt14  
> Beta read by: Cassie ([findingsofafangirl](https://findingsofafangirl.tumblr.com/)/[academia-and-politics](https://academia-and-politics.tumblr.com/))
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: There is one use of the f-slur at the end of the paragraph starting with "There’s a moment of silence where Julie..." Proceed with caution.

Julie nearly passes out right in the foyer when she gets home. The past week had been downright exhausting. Between her history presentation, chemistry test, and in-class French essay, not to mention band practice three of those five days, it was kind of a miracle she was even upright at all. But Friday night, wonderful, glorious Friday night, was all hers. Flynn would be over later with pizza but right now, there is no homework, no baseball game, no rehearsal, just Julie and Netflix.

She raids the kitchen for a bottle of juice and what’s left of the pack of Oreos (which isn’t much; she eats when she’s stressed) before heading up to her room. Carlos had let _tía_ Victoria wrangle him into a salsa dancing class her friend was teaching and her dad was on a job all weekend, photographing someone’s wedding rehearsal, ceremony, and reception. Julie doesn’t know where the boys are but if Luke’s sudden decline in energy the past week is anything to go by, he’s visiting his parents tonight.

She settles in, trading her school clothes for a pair of joggers and her dad’s old college sweatshirt that she’d co-opted, finishing off the whole ensemble with her favorite cheetah print paw slippers. She drags her laptop out of her bag and onto her bed, queuing up Netflix while she cracks open her juice and takes a sip. _What to watch, what to watch_ , she thinks, clicking over to her list of saved shows and movies.

Nothing immediately jumps out at her so she scrolls through the list again, realizing she needs to clear out the things she added because they sounded interesting but she knows she’ll never watch. Eventually, she lands on Queer Eye after she realizes she’s fallen behind on episodes. She starts the series from the beginning and cuddles down further into her quilt. Julie’s made it through an episode and a half when there’s a light knock on her door. She looks at her phone and sees it’s only 4:30, two hours before Flynn was supposed to show up. Besides, she wouldn’t have knocked.

She hurries to wipe the quickly drying happy tears from her face, pausing her episode and calling out, “Who’s there?”

“It’s me,” Alex’s muted voice comes from the other side.

“Come in.” She’s still cleaning herself up when he phases into her bedroom. “What’s up?”

His eyes widen comically, eliciting a small giggle out of her, and he looks like he’s seconds away from stepping back out. “Are you- are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. This show always gets me is all.” She pats the bed as an invitation for him to join her.

“Oh,” he says, taking up her offer and sitting down beside her. “What are you watching?”

“It’s called Queer Eye. It’s a show about people nominating their family or friends to have their life sorted out by a group of gay guys called the Fab Five.” Alex lets out a scoff she thinks she isn’t meant to hear. “What?”

“Nothing. It’s just that- these people trusting gay people to do anything sounds like a joke.” He picks at a loose thread on his pants, avoiding her gaze entirely. She knows a little about what his life was like back in the nineties from the other guys, but Alex doesn’t like talking about it and she doesn’t pry.

“Hey. Look at me.” There’s a shadow of pain on his face and Julie reaches out to lace their fingers together, giving his hand a squeeze. “You know you can tell me anything, right? I’m here for you.”

There’s a moment of silence where Julie just runs her thumb over his knuckles. He gives a squeeze in return and says, “I grew up during a time when the president didn’t give half a damn about the thousands of people dying of “the gay disease.” I was really lucky to have Reggie and Luke, but a lot of people, my parents included, _hated_ gay people, much less trusted them.” His breaths are ragged, but he continues. “My parents kicked me out when they found out about me. My dad said he’d rather I be dead that have a- a fag for a son. Guess he got his wish.”

Julie is stunned. She knew it was bad back then and that it could still be for some people, but hearing it from someone who experienced it firsthand is something else altogether. “Alex.” He looks up at her again from under his lashes. She throws her arms around him, allowing him to bury his face in her shoulder. “You didn’t deserve that. Not any of it. And I’m so sorry that you had to hide yourself from people who should have loved you unconditionally.” He grips her harder and she hugs back with the same force. “Things aren’t great. We still have a long way to go, but it is so much better now. Here watch.” She dislodges herself from him and shuffles over to her laptop to press play.

On the screen, they watch as Jonathan cuts, trims, and styles the nominee’s hair and beard and receives a hug for his efforts. They end up finishing the episode, watching Bobby take him around his newly refurbished house, Antoni teach him how to cook something simple, Karamo validate his concerns but also help him start to overcome them, and Tan show him how to dress to compliment himself. They watch the nominee start to be more confident in himself, acknowledge men can have emotions, and make his family proud of where he’s going.

“Wow,” Alex says when the episode is over. “That was-” His voice is watery and Julie looks over to see tears welling up in his eyes and spilling over his cheeks.

**“Don’t cry,”** she says, starting to cry herself and laughing a little. She reaches out to brush a few drops away with her thumb. “Dude, you’re only going to make this worse.” She gestures at her own face which makes him laugh too.

“I really didn’t expect that.” He wipes his face with the hem of his shirt and sighs. “Sorry about, um, all this.” He clearly means for it to be a joke but Julie doesn’t laugh.

“You never need to apologize for yourself around me. You’re allowed to be a person, albeit a ghostly one.” That _is_ a joke and he chuckles.

“Thanks, Jules. You’re the best.”

“I know. Want to watch another episode?”

“Yes, please.” He scoots up next to her as she leans back against her headboard. “Can I?” He nods his head at her, clearly asking to be close to Julie.

She’s touched, “Of course.” He lays down on her shoulder and threads his arm through hers as she plays the next episode. He clutches onto the striped pillow on her bed and she drops her cheek gently on top of his head.

That’s how Flynn finds them an hour later. Well really, how she finds Julie, her head tilted at a weird angle and arm hovering just above the bed. It’s the pillow suspended in midair that clues her in that she’s not alone. She drops her bag on the ground and is about to jump on the bed when Julie sees her hesitate. “Who’s with you?” Julie’s arm moves slightly so Alex can summon his drumsticks and taps out a little beat on the comforter. “Oh, hey, Alex.” Flynn holds out her hand for a fist bump that Alex readily gives her causing her to smile. “I’ll never get over that.” Alex chuckles and places his head back on Julie’s shoulder.

“Hey, no, let me up. Head downstairs. I gotta go to the bathroom but we’ll be down in a minute.” Julie shakes him off and stands to stretch.

“See you down there.” He poofs out of the room and the temperature rises a little.

“What’s up?” Flynn asks, seeing the look on her best friend’s face.

Julie shuffles from foot to foot, messing with the sleeves of her sweatshirt. “I know you wanted girls’ night and Stranger Things and pizza, but Alex really needs to be with someone tonight and I don’t know where the guys are.”

Flynn slings an arm around her best friend’s shoulders and leads her out into the hallway. “No worries. Does it have something to do with, uh, the Queer Eye you were watching?” Julie just nods. “Okay. Say no more.” They make their way down the stairs and Julie notices Alex staring longingly at the pizza box Flynn had left on the counter and it makes her laugh.

“Stop torturing yourself, dude.” Flynn gives her a nudge. “Alex is staring at the pizza like it’s his long lost lover.”

“I am not, drama queen.”

“ _I’m_ the drama queen? _You’re_ the one being touchy over-”

“Okay!” Flynn interrupts. “Change of plans: it’s now a girls plus Alex night and I nominate we watch movies instead.”

“What did you have in mind?” Julie asks, going to find the paper plates in the pantry and handing one to her best friend.

“Something I think Alex is going to like and something we haven’t seen in a long time.” Flynn takes a slice out of the box, Julie following suit and leading the way into the living room. “Love, Simon, anyone?”

“What’s Love, Simon?” Alex asks her, hopping off the counter to follow them.

Julie plunks down on the floor in front of the coffee table and picks up the remote. “It’s a movie based on a book about this guy named Simon who has an anonymous pen pal.”

“Sounds fun.”

~ ~ ~

“I can’t believe you made me cry again,” Alex protests after Simon’s parents have told them how they love him, no matter what.

Julie is trying to be discreet in her crying, unlike Flynn who’s unabashedly sobbing. “Yeah, but this is a good cry.”

“Damn, straight,” Flynn lets out. Alex looks like he’s going to make a joke about her word choice when she adds on, “Well, damn, gay would be more appropriate.”

“I knew I liked her.”

“Flynn, Alex says he likes you,” Julie translates around another bite of pizza.

“Awe, I like you, too, Alex.”

Julie sits there between her best friend and her bandmate, heart (and stomach) full and finally feels the stress of the week release its grip on her. There’s a content smile on her face as she reaches out for Alex’s hand and he happily obliges, Flynn leaning on her other side as the movie plays on.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! You're getting an extra story this week because it's my birthday! I can't believe I've spent two whole decades on this dumpster fire of a planet (the cause of which is not the planet's fault). Anyway, enjoy this. You'll still be getting a story come Sunday, I just wanted to share my gratitude for your unending support, so thank you! As always, requests are open for every prompt on [this list](https://p0ck3tf0x.tumblr.com/post/98502010026/one-hundred-ways-to-say-i-love-you/) except 10, 12, 19, 31, 33, 37, 38, 39, 41, 44, 53, 63, 65, 67, 82, 83, 86, 91, 92, 98, and 99. You can drop a comment here or send one to either of my tumblr accounts. Thank you to jemmacatt14 for your request! I really enjoyed writing this one.
> 
> main: [hi-hello-hey-there](https://hi-hello-hey-there.tumblr.com/)  
> side: [toziers-token](https://toziers-token.tumblr.com/)
> 
> love, blue


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